


Down The Arrow

by Lyco



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Gen, Mentions of Barry Allen - Freeform, Moving to another Earth, Olicity break up, Oliver and Iris talk, Post Elseworlds aftermath, Sequel, William Clayton - Freeform, not for Olicity fans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 02:11:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16986165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyco/pseuds/Lyco
Summary: Tired of the public spotlight on him and the way Felicity treats him, Oliver decides enough is enough.





	Down The Arrow

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Iris' reality check](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16942881) by [Stand_with_Ward_and_Queen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stand_with_Ward_and_Queen/pseuds/Stand_with_Ward_and_Queen). 



**Disclaimer: Something that I've been thinking about recently and with the 'Elseworlds' stuff going on, it became even more of a thing. This is also a sequel to Stand's 'Iris' Reality Check' that he allowed me to do in regards as a sequel. Warning, this is not for Felicity/Olicity fans and takes place after 'Elseworlds' and the pandering to Felicity/Olicity did NOT happen like it did in the second part. That little conversation between Oliver and Felicity also does not happen thanks to E-90 Barry showing up before it could happen. CS/KF easily getting her ass kicked by that cold gun also doesn't happen.**

* * *

 

**A Few Hours After The Elseworlds Situation**

At the Kent Farm on Earth-38, a celebration was in full swing over the recent victory where the Monitor and John Deegan was concerned. Plus they were also celebrating the news that Clark and Lois were expecting and had been witness to Clark's marriage proposal. Thankfully, as it turned out, Earth-90's Flash hadn't been wiped out by the Monitor. But rather, sent elsewhere so he wouldn't be able to provide further aide then what he already had. Kate Kane had even been invited to the fun but had declined as Gotham was where she was needed the most. That, and the whole alternate Earths thing just was a concept she wasn't entirely ready to deal with just yet but Kara understood. Even if it did disappoint her some. And while the Monitor was confident about them being able to handle the coming Crisis, the fact he didn't elaborate on what it was bothered the gathered group of heroes and friends a great deal. Especially Barry as he wondered if this 'Crisis' situation had anything to do with his disappearance in the original future's timeline.

As for Oliver, he was in a chair in a corner nursing his third beer somewhat silently, thinking of the deal he made to maintain a balance in the universe with the Monitor in order to finally stop Deegan and prevent Kara and Barry from dying during their plan to stop time momentarily in order to stop Deegan. Though aside from that, he was happy for once that the problems between himself and Felicity was keeping her from being touchy feely with him as she was wont to be in public despite the fact she knows he hates PDA. It helped of course that Felicity was all the way back on Earth-1 since she wasn't too enthused for not being told certain things like the body switch right away like she felt she should have been as if by right. “Oliver?” Came the tentative voice of Iris West-Allen, breaking him from his thoughts as he looked up at her.

“Hmm? Something wrong?”

The fact he asked that right off the bat bothered and saddened Iris. “What!? No! No, I swear. I uhh, I actually wanted to talk with you.”

He raised his eyebrows up at that in surprise, having not expected that at all. “Alright, what about?” Asked the man kindly and curiously.

“Can we talk outside where its not so loud?” Requested Iris nicely as she didn't want to have to really raise her voice or anything just to speak with him about a personal matter.

Seeing where she was coming from, Oliver nodded and rose up, completely missing the exchanged looks between Barry and Iris as he did so. The two made their leave from the house and for a time, things were quiet as they walked down the drive way towards the road. “So… You wanted to talk?”

Iris startled, not having expected the intense and quiet man to do that. “Umm… Yeah, yeah I did. Its about the fact I've been judging you and treating you like a sex object when I had no place in doing that. And I'm sorry, Oliver, for those things. The fact I've been listening to one side of a story when I SHOULD have been hearing both sides is another thing I'm sorry for. I barely know you and I have no place in saying if you are or aren't defined by anger and vengeance.” The fact she and Felicity were barely even friends was another thing she should have taken into consideration long before now but hadn't much to her shame.

She supposed her dad's views of the man had made more of an impact on her then what she realized. The fact she nor the others hadn't been all that willing to believe Oliver and Barry about the switch made her wonder if something else had been at work as it shouldn't have been that hard to believe considering all they'd been through over the past few years. Oliver stared at her in surprise, definitely NOT having expected this at all and let out a breath. “I understand if you can't accept my apology but maybe in time you'll be able too. I know this has stopped to make me think about how to better handle certain things in the future.”

“I do accept it, Iris, the fact you're willing enough to apologize means a lot. It really does. I'd like to think I'm not defined by anger and vengeance but maybe that's just denial talking, I honestly don't know. But what I do know is… This whole 'Elseworlds' situation, despite it being a problem, I felt more happier during a lot of it then what I have been since before Laurel died and before the island.” He told her with a heavy sigh while wishing for the 900th time that Laurel was still alive.

Even wondering how the love of his life would have handled this whole recent situation that they had all gone through. The mere thought of her made his heart ache painfully and had the thought that if he had access to the Book Of Destiny before using that special arrow on it, he more than likely would have used it to bring back Laurel and even his parents. Possible consequences be damned. Iris looked at him sadly and Oliver hated that look as it made him feel like he was being pitied. “Laurel was something special to you, wasn't she?”

Oliver just nodded. “Yeah, it just took me a long time to realize that. I guess… Like with you and Barry, she's my… My Lightning Rod.” He replied with a slight grimace on his face that Iris couldn't help but grin at.

“Not big on cheesy romantic things like that, huh?”

“Heh… No, not really. But… You get my point. If I believed in the concept of soul mates, she would be mine.” Hell, it felt like part of him had died with her as it is so maybe the concept wasn't as far fetched as it sounded.

To his surprise, Oliver found himself being momentarily hugged by Iris before being let go by her with a sheepish look on her face. “S-Sorry, I know, well, now I do, that you have a thing about PDA. But you just looked like you really needed a hug there.”

“Thank you anyway. And to be honest, while I do, when we were in that lab, it was more of an 'I was freaked out and not wanting to get Barry mad at me' kind of thing.”

Iris grinned again at that and realized they were at the road itself. “Wow, hadn't realized we walked that far.”

“Talking and making amends will do that, or so I hear.” Oliver said with a small shrug.

But then he turned serious as he looked at her. “Thank you, for being willing enough to uhh… Man up, so to speak, and talk and apologize to me.”

“I'm happy you were willing to allow me.”

Oliver nodded at her with a small smile and to her surprise, began to walk past her. “I think I'm gonna go for a walk. See what this place is like.” Decided the man.

Feeling a need to be on his own and think about things some more. “You want company?”

“Nah, I think I'll be fine on my own. Just make sure to tell the others I'm out for a walk and that I'll be fine.”

And with that, he began walking, leaving Iris on her own and hoping that he'll be alright. _If I was still doing a List of Three thing, Oliver would still definitely be on it. I just hope though that he can find some real happiness again. And soon as he really does deserve it._

To her, it clearly wasn't going to be with Felicity.

**One Month Later On Earth-1**

“What, what are you doing!?” Asked Felicity as she walked into the room that was supposed to be her's and Oliver's.

Only to see him packing a bag. Her voice caused him to let out a sigh as he had hoped to avoid this but it appears he wasn't going to get that going for him. “I'm packing, Felicity.”

“Are you going somewhere and didn't think to tell me?” As hello, rude!

“No, I'm packing as in I'm leaving for good. I'm… I'm done with everything here in Star City. I can't do it anymore. All the, the spotlights and shit, its getting to be too much. I can't even make it out the front door of this building without someone hounding me!” Oliver told her as he turned around, a tired look on his face easily seen.

“And surprise, surprise, you don't even bother to sit down and talk about this with me.” Felicity replied angrily.

Making him almost wince and lower his head but catching it in time and stopping. As that was another thing he was done with. Feeling massive guilt over things thanks to her making him feel that way when he shouldn't have too. “Considering you made it clear we're on two separate paths and you don't want to do anything about it? I didn't see a reason, Felicity.”

And seeing her about to respond to that, he cut her off by speaking more. “Furthermore, considering you cost me my rights to my son and have made it an uphill battle just to get him back home where he belongs, along with throwing my sacrifice in my face and asking me if I know what it feels like not being able to protect my family. When I have known more then I care to admit and you either forgot that or chose not to remember! Which is insulting!”

Hell, he had even had Laurel dig into the whole matter where William was concerned discretely after trying to call the school to get in touch with his son. Only to find out he couldn't because of Felicity and that had greatly pissed him off more than anything. Hell, he even had gotten Cisco and Barry involved to get him to Cambridge and had very nearly ended up in jail for his attempts to see his own damned son. Oliver watched as Felicity's eyes widened at the mention of William. “Again, I did what I had to do in order to bring Diaz down. Losing custody of him was a small price to pay for that and I knew that one day, we'd be able to get those rights and William back once things were settled. Which is why I hadn't done anything about that as I wanted things to just be focused only on us for awhile. To give US time to re-connect!” She told him hotly and not realizing what a bad move that was.

And definitely not liking that HER husband was discretely working with Black Siren of all people. Who knew what that bitch was trying with him… “Do… Do you even hear yourself!? And you get on to ME for keeping YOU in the dark! This is another example in a long line of examples of you having no clear respect for me, Felicity. As if I were some sort of prize for you to have in order to control as you see fit! And I refuse to go with it any longer! I have far more respect for myself then that and its time I acted on it!”

Felicity reared back as if she'd been slapped. Not liking what had just been said to her and even slapping him for it, gaining a very cold look in return. “I think you need to just have a deep breath or two, Oliver. Especially before you make a very huge mistake.”

“The only mistake I've made is allowing you to be in my life for as long as I have. Barry and Iris, John and Lyla, and for God's sake, even Clark and Lois despite the short amount of time I was around them, are all examples of what it means to be in a healthy relationship! Hell, even when I was a cheating piece of shit with Laurel, it was still a step up from what I've found myself in with you! You never truly understood what it meant to make the tough calls and sacrifices, Felicity. What could you have done had I gone to you last year?” He asked of her while briefly remembering the fact he had ended up staying a few days on Earth-38 following that walk of his.

Forcing her to try and think of anything but finding herself coming up empty much to her dislike. Something he clearly saw. “Exactly. NOTHING. I did what I thought was best. I sure as Hell wasn't gonna approach the President for help. For all my parents' faults, even they wanted NOTHING to do with that man back in the day. Lyla already had her hands tied in a number of things at the time and wasn't able to help, trust me, I tried that route as soon as I was able too.”

“But, but where are you going to go!? No one we know can take you in as it would cause problems for them!” Tried the Blonde desperately.

“Its a good thing I'm not limiting myself to just those here in the city then. Or anywhere else on this Earth for that matter.”

Her eyes widened as she realized what he meant by that. “You're leaving this Earth entirely for another!?”

Oliver just nodded with a serious expression on his face. “I am and no, I won't tell you where. And no, neither will anyone else as they aren't mindless morons who pander to you like you would prefer. William is already where I'm going so your influence there is done thanks to Laurel's help.”

_I swear I will shoot that bitch the next time I see her!_

Heads were going to roll! “If… If you do this, don't bother coming back! I won't put up with your abuse of me!” Declared the woman and causing him to scoff disdainfully.

“You're one to talk about abuse, Felicity. Oh, by the way? Remember that little thing I had you sign?”

“Yeah? What about it?”

She had thought that was odd he had gone to her for needing a signature where some property was concerned. But had reasoned to herself eventually that it was probably some legal thing that he had to do since he'd been in prison. “Let's just say it was a handy piece of work done up in order to get a divorce from you.”

Magic definitely had its perks. Felicity could only stare at him in shock, not liking how things had gone on at all. She watched as he laughed a humorless chuckle. “I guess I'm three for three where you and my home is concerned. First, you indirectly were responsible for what eventually led to the burning down of my childhood home, then me having to move out of the loft that you had no business in keeping since it was Thea's and mine, and now this.”

“If… If you leave, I will tell everyone you were an abuser to not only me but William as well.” Felicity told him with a waver to her voice.

Hoping it would get him to cow finally. Oliver however, narrowed his eyes at her and leaned in closely to her. “Do it. For every lie you spread, ten actual facts will be spread by those who REALLY know me. Plus, certain little… Secrets of yours will be exposed to the general public. Now… If you'll excuse me, I'm out of here. And one other thing... For all my faults and the mistakes I've made, even repeated... Those should have been examples for you to know in what NOT to do. Guess you aren't as smart as you like to think you are.”

And using an extrapulator made for him by Cisco, Oliver made his leave to Earth-38 to begin a much happier life. Leaving Felicity to stew in absolute rage over what had just happened and vowing to find some way to get back at him. Oliver and William would end up moving into the old Ross house, a place that one of Clark's long time friends, Pete Ross, had used to live in with his family before moving away. And while William was skeptical at first of the whole thing, especially that he was on another Earth for that matter, he gradually got used to it. Him and his dad would even learn how to farm thanks to some of the local Smallville residents and this would allow Oliver to plant some seeds he had where some old island herbs he knew of were concerned. Which would definitely make the two a nice little side profit thanks to its healing properties. Two months into their new lives would see Oliver meeting a Redhead at the local grocery store.

One who, while not looking similar to Laurel in appearance, would remind him heavily of Laurel's personality and desire to help others. This and other things about Kelly would draw him to her like a moth to a flame and the two would grow closer to one another as time went on. Life in Smallville was exactly what both Oliver and William needed and both couldn't be happier. But at the back of his mind, Oliver would always have the deal he struck with Nobu where Balance was concerned on his mind.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Well, I imagine someone's going to be pissy about this but oh well. I intend to do a one-shot sequel for this soon.**


End file.
